Senator John Hoeven, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, met with Anne Hazlett, Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
During the meeting, Hoeven outlined his priorities for strengthening rural economies and the importance of the programs Hazlett oversees at USDA in helping rural communities compete in today's global economy.

Specifically, the senator stressed the need to invest in rural infrastructure, including water, electric and broadband services. Their discussion dovetails with Hazlett's visit to North Dakota next week, where she will be holding a roundtable with Rural Development
State Director Clare Carlson in Bismarck on strategies to ensure rural prosperity as well as improved online access to commerce, education and health care services.

"Our rural communities face unique challenges in developing their infrastructure and growing their economies," Hoeven said. "The programs at USDA Rural Development help ensure our state's citizens, regardless of their zip code, have access to the services
they need to improve their quality of life. I appreciate the opportunity to have this productive conversation with Ms. Hazlett before her trip to North Dakota, and I look forward to continuing to work with her to meet the needs of rural America."

This week's meeting comes as part of Hoeven's efforts as chairman of the Agriculture Appropriations Committee to secure strong support for crop insurance, agriculture research and rural development through annual funding bills. Further, Hoeven continues to
meet with farmers, ranchers and other rural stakeholders to gather input on the upcoming farm bill and ensure USDA's programs work for North Dakota's agriculture industry and rural communities. The senator's priorities for the farm bill include:

Strong Crop Insurance -- The senator is working to strengthen and prevent cuts to the crop insurance program, which is the primary risk management tool for many producers.

Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) -- Hoeven secured $5 million for a pilot program in the Senate's Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Agriculture Appropriations bill, and funding in the Senate's FY 2018 Appropriations bill, to improve the
fairness of ARC payment calculations, while exploring long-term solutions to the problem for the next farm bill.

Sugar Program -- The senator said he will work to extend the sugar program in a bipartisan manner, ensuring that American producers have a level playing field in the world sugar market.

Agriculture Research -- Hoeven will work to include strong support for agricultural research, like the work done at North Dakota State University and the North Dakota Extension Service, to enhance crop genetics and production.

Drought Support -- Hoeven continues working to secure all possible support for farmers and ranchers to help them weather the drought. The senator is also working to improve the livestock assistance programs in the next farm bill and ensure they work for
ranchers when needed most.